Officer who shot Jacob Blake won't face civil rights charges, DOJ says

Civil rights charges will not be pursued against the Wisconsin police officer who shot Jacob Blake last year, partially paralyzing him, the Department of Justice said.

Civil rights charges will not be pursued against the Wisconsin police officer who shot Jacob Blake last year, partially paralyzing him, the Department of Justice announced Friday.

Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, who is white, fired seven times at Blake, who is Black, on Aug. 23, 2020, after responding to a report of a domestic dispute, authorities said.

Following an investigation, federal prosecutors said the evidence obtained was insufficient to prove Sheskey "willfully used excessive force," the DOJ said in a statement.

Investigators reviewed police reports, law enforcement accounts, witness statements, witness affidavits, photographs, videos and more of the incident, which was captured on a witness' cellphone and sparked days of large-scale protests in Kenosha.